The South-East geopolitical zone, yesterday urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to halt the on-going piecemeal and extremely lopsided appointments of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government before it throws the nation into untold chaos.
The call which was made on behalf of the zone by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prince Chukwuka Onyema noted that the principle of Federal Character as espoused in the nation’s Constitution was expressly aimed at avoiding such sectionally skewed appointments.
He noted that the subdivision of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones of South-East, North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-South and South-West by the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida(rtd)was for a better representation and participation in government at the Federal level and all its agencies.
According to the legislator, “history has shown that the South East zone, comprising Abia. Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, is grossly marginalized and shortchanged in the recruitment for employment by Federal government ministries/agencies and departments, including recruitment into law enforcement outfits, admission into educational institutions, appointments and promotions in FG offices.
Citizens from the South East zone, Prince Onyema disclosed have been acknowledged to be very industrious, enterprising and have contributed immensely to preserve and protect the integrity and unity of this country more than any other zone in the country.
Adducing some examples, he noted that recently, some graduate doctors from the South Eastern states who attended Housemanship employment interview in one of the Federal Government Hospitals complained bitterly that they were not taken despite performing far better than their counterparts from other zones of the country because of the consideration of Federal Character policy.
Also, certain parents from the zone had to take their children to some other schools because they were rejected in the Unity schools for a simple reason that they exceeded the zone’s quota. These were children who performed excellently better than those form other zones.
